Velocipede.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

MATTHEW MOGOWAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To FRED BOETTLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

VELOOIPEDE.

To all whcm'it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW MOGOWAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Im rovement in Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification! My invention relates to velocipedes, and has for its rincipal objects to produce a velocipede W ich may be propelled by both the legs and arms or by either, to provide a slidable seat which may be used as an element of the means of propulsion when desired, to provide for readily connecting and disconnecting the seat from the propelling mechanism, to simplify the construction, to cheapen the cost of' manufacture, and to attain certain other advantages hereinafter more fully appearing.

The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification, and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure l is a longitudinal section through a velocipede embodying my invention; and, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation with a portion of the frame shown in erosssection on or about the line 22 of Fig. 1.

The running gear frame of the velocipede comprises, preferably, a pair of wooden longitudinal members 1. The front ends of these frame members are mounted on a yoke 2 to which the front axle 3 is pivotally attached. The rear ends of the frame members are mounted on a yoke 4 whose downturned end portions are perforated to receive the rear axle 5. The front axle 3 is the steering axle and the rear one is the driving axle. On the driving axle 5 is fixedly secured a ratchet wheel 6. Loosely fitted on the driving axle, next to the ratchet wheel 6, is a disk 7 having a spring-pressed pawl 8 thereon which is arranged to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel. Secured to the disk 7, concentrically therewith, is a pinion 9 which meshes with a gear Wheel 10 Ournaled in a sub-frame 11. This sub-frame 11 is secured at one end to the frame members 1 and at its opposite end to the rear axle 5.

Slidably mounted between the frame members 1 is a toothed rack 12. This rack comprises, preferably, an integral casting 13 having longitudinal grooves in its side edges Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 445,866.

adapted to slidingly fit guide strips 14 on the inner faces of the frame members 1. Preferably, the guide strips 14 are flat plates which are fitted in longitudinal grooves provided therefor in the adjacent faces of the frame members 1. The guide strips 14: may be held in place by bolts or pins 15 which are passed through alining holes in said strips and their respective frame members 1. This construction provides for a convenient arrangement of the guide stri )S and also reinforces or stiffens the wooden frame members 1,

The seat 16 is Slidably mounted on parallel guide members 17. These members are preferably flat strips of metal having their end portions 18 turned downwardly so as to be secured to the frame members 1. Each of the end portions of said guide strips which are secured to the frame members 1, are offset outwardly so as to provide a shoulder 19 which is adapted to rest upon the upper edge portion of the frame member. On the bottom of the seat are secured cleats 20 under which metal strips 21 are placed edgewise. The ends 22 of these strips are twisted to lie flatwise against said cleats and said ends are perforated for the reception of securing screws or devices 23. The lower edges of the strips 21 are notched near their ends so as to slidingly fit upon the guide strips 17.

At the front end of the velocipede is pivotally mounted an oscillatory arm or hand lever 24 which is provided with a suitable handle 25. Preferably, this handle comprises a cross-piece or ordinary T-handle. The hand lever 24 is pivotally connected to the rack member 13 by a link 26, so that when said hand lever is oscillated, the rack member will be reciprocated on the guide strips 14. Each time the rack is moved rearwardly, the gear 10 is rotated in a rearward direction also. The meshing pinion 9 is rotated forwardly and the pawl 8 being in engagement with the ratchet wheel 6 which is fixed on the driving axle, the velocipede will be propelled forwardly. When it is desired to use the slidable seat as an element of the propelling means, a hook or other suitable releasable device 27 mounted on the rack member, connecting link, or, preferably, on the pivot pin 28 for the link, as shown, is connected to the seat, an eye or other suitable device 29 being provided therefor at the front of said seat.

By the construction and arrangement shown, the seat may be connected and disconnected as an element of the propelling mechanism, at will; the gearing may be mounted low and in substantially horizontal alinernent, and the entire structure made light, compact and durable. One particular advantage is that the hand lever 24 may be swung far forward so that the velocipede may be drawn as a wagon. The rack member is preferably of such length that the rack 12 is moved from engagement with the gear 10 when the hand lever is in an extremely forward position. Thus, the gearing of the propelling mechanism remains idle, and the seat being disconnected therefrom, it may be placed at any desired position on the guide members 17.

Obviously, the device admits of considerable modification Without departing from the invention, and, therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A velocipede comprising a running gear having a driving axle, and propelling means comprising a rack slidably mounted on the frame of the running gear, a hand lever pivotally mounted on said frame and operably connected to said rack, a gear-wheel arranged to mesh with said rack and constituting an element of a train having a ratchet connection with said driving axle, and a seat movably mounted on said frame in a direction parallel to said rack, independently of said propelling means and arranged to be connected thereto to constitute an element thereof.

2. A velocipede comprising a running gear having a driving axle, and propelling means comprising a rack slidably mounted on the frame of the running gear, an oscillatory hand lever ivotally mounted on said frame and operab y connected to said rack, a gear wheel arranged to mesh with said rack and constituting an element of a train having a ratchet connection with said driving axle, a seat slidably mounted on said frame in a direction parallel to said rack independently of said propelling means, and a releasable device arranged to connect said seat to said propelling means to constltute an element thereof. 7

3. A velocipede comprising a running gea having a driving axle and a frame comprising parallel longitudinal members, guideways mounted on the inner faces of said longitudi nal frame members, a reciprocatory member slidably mounted on said guideways between said longitudinal frame members, said reciprocatory member having a rack on its underside, a gear wheel arranged to mesh with said rack and having a ratchet connection with said driving axle, an oscillatory hand lever pivotally mounted on said frame and having a link connection with said reciprocatory rack member, and a seat mounted on said frame independently of said reciprocatory rack member in cooperative relation to said hand lever.

1. A velocipede comprising a running gear having a driving axle, a supporting frame having parallel longitudinal portions, guideways mounted on the adjacent faces of said parallel frame portions, a rack slidably mounted on said guideways, a gear-wheel arranged to mesh with said rack and constituting an element of a train having a ratchet connection with said driving axle, an oscillatory hand lever having a link connection with said rack, a seat slidably mounted on said frame in a direction parallel to said rack, and a releasable device arranged to connect said seat and said rack.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 21st day of July, 1908, at St. Louis, Mo.

MATTHEW MoGOWAN.

Witnesses G. A. PENNINeToN, J. B. MEGowN. 

